One of my favorite New Yorker cartoons shows a dog sitting in an office chair, facing a computer and telling another dog, “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.”
That might still hold true on sites like OKCupid, but when it comes to Instagram, being a canine isn’t just something to admit — it’s something to celebrate.
Shih Tzu Marnie the Dog has garnered 1.6 million followers, a mind-blowing number until you actually peek at her pictures. The 12-year-old pup with a tongue whose length rivals Gene Simmons is so adorable, she’d melt the heart of even Vladimir Putin. Another adorable ball of fluff, Dougie the Shih Tzu, boasts 377,000 followers by posting, among other shots, slo-mo videos of him running. Running!
Marnie, Dougie and other canine superstars on Instagram are cute and all, but I’m here to tell you about some #dogsofinstagram up-and-comers. In no particular order:
Penny
This yellow Lab/Aussie mix from the U.S. with a freckled snout is guaranteed to make you say “D’awww” every time her photo comes up in your feed. Penny has a little over 1,000 followers now.
Tango
This pit bull’s talent for balancing items on his head more than makes up for his poor grasp on grammar and spelling. His 5,500+ followers are sometimes treated to a two-fer: His doggie sibling, a Boston terrier named Poukie, makes regular cameos.
A photo posted by Tango (@tangomunch_pitbull) on
Walter
Like the famous Marnie, Walter usually shows a little tongue in his photos. And like Grumpy Cat, Walter always looks a bit digruntled. The captions, which explains what exactly is upsetting him, are really what makes this account such a joy to follow for me and his 2,100 other followers.
Reason Walter is disappointed: I keep trying to interrupt his sacred “stare at the wall” time by squeaking toys. NOT. INTERESTED. #dogsofinstagram #adoptdontshop #dogcrushdaily #mopeygrump #pekingese A photo posted by Walter Crouton (@reasonswalterisdisappointed) on
Mr. Beefy
I admit, I have a soft spot for wrinkly, squishy English bulldogs. Apparently, nearly 5,500 other Instagrammers do, too. I especially love the photos he posts of his adventures in the pool, where it appears the only thing keeping him from sinking to the bottom is a doggie life jacket. Trust me, it’s adorable.
A photo posted by Mr. Beefy 🎩 (@thefamousmrbeefy) on
Blade
If this Doberman from the Netherlands were a high school senior, he’s definitely have “most handsome” on lock down. Even as a puppy, he was stately and graceful. I’m sure his 3,600+followers would agree.
A photo posted by Blade the Doberman (@bladethedobie) on
Christian
This Husky-Golden Retriever mix recently posted a series of photos in the cone of shame. He looks none too pleased, and I’m sure his 500 or so followers will be happy when he’s all healed up and back to rolling unimpeded in the grass.
I love to lounge in the grass #dog #dogsofinstagram #goldenretriever #husky #goberian #cute
A photo posted by Christian (@christianthedog) on
Bentley
This Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has ears for days and a strong understanding of how to deploy puppy dog eyes. And with only 218 posts and and a whopping 6,900 followers, this pup is surely going places on Instagram.
That time I thought I saw a squirrel… #StayObservantMyFriends #GuardDog #KingCharles #Tbt A photo posted by Bentley 🐾 (@bentley_thecavalier) on
Steven Jalapeno
This Brussels Griffon keeps things weird, like any proud resident of Austin, Texas, would. Just as good as his photos? His use of hashtags. Both #everydayimbrusselin and #ewok are used daily. He has about 1,800 followers so far.
Dickens
Another two-fer account, as the photos posted of this Tibetan terrier regularly include his canine buddy Percy. It’s an absolute sin that this fluffy guy only has 289 followers. I wish he was my pup’s best buddy, mostly so I could ruffle the terrier’s mop-top as often as I want.
And just in case you crave a little variety, I’ll introduce you to my new favorite feline Instagram account: Three Cat Party, which chronicles the adventures of (you guessed it) three feline friends who like looking out windows and lounging in sunny spots.
Any Pet-stagram accounts I missed? Let me know in the comments.
Erin L. Nissley is a contributing journalist for TheBlot Magazine.
